Baby born with 4 legs, 2 spines now recovering from surgery

A baby born with four legs and two spines is now recovered from reconstructive surgery after doctors removed her twin's partially deformed body.

The girl, who is known only as Dominique, was born on the Ivory Coast 10 months ago and flown to Advocate Children's Hospital in Park Ridge, Illinois, for the procedure.

"A parasitic twin is an identical twin that fails to fully separate in development," John Ruge, a pediatric neurosurgeon at the hospital, told Reuters. "In other words, not another independent twin, but a twin that was dependent on her body system, such that Dominique's heart and lungs provided the nourishment."

Five surgeons worked for six hours to remove the two extra legs near her shoulders, as well as the second spine.

After spending five days in the hospital, she was released to a foster family near Chicago who will care for her until she returns to West Africa, Reuters reports.

"It's going rather well," Frank Vicari, a pediatric and reconstructive surgeon, told Reuters. "She's been home with 'step-mom' and just doing very, very well."

See photos from this story:

5PHOTOS

Baby born with 4 legs, 2 spines now recovering from surgery

See Gallery

Baby born with 4 legs, 2 spines now recovering from surgery

Ten-month-old "Baby Dominique" is held by host family member Nancy Swabb during a news conference where doctors and staff discuss the outcome of a complex surgical procedure to treat Dominique, who was born with four legs and two spines, at Advocate Children's Hospital in Park Ridge, Illinois, U.S., March 21, 2017. REUTERS/John Gress

Host family members Nancy Swabb, her husband Tim Swabb and their daughter Mara Swabb, 9, play with "Baby Dominique" during a news conference where doctors and staff discuss the outcome of a complex surgical procedure to treat the 10-month old, who was born with four legs and two spines, at Advocate Children's Hospital in Park Ridge, Illinois, U.S., March 21, 2017. REUTERS/John Gress

Ten-month-old "Baby Dominique" looks at the audience during a news conference where doctors and staff discuss the outcome of a complex surgical procedure to treat Dominique, who was born with four legs and two spines, at Advocate Children's Hospital in Park Ridge, Illinois, U.S., March 21, 2017. REUTERS/John Gress

Ten-month-old "Baby Dominique" is held by host family member Nancy Swabb during a news conference where doctors and staff discuss the outcome of a complex surgical procedure to treat Dominique, who was born with four legs and two spines, at Advocate Children's Hospital in Park Ridge, Illinois, U.S., March 21, 2017. REUTERS/John Gress

Ten-month-old "Baby Dominique" is held by host family mother Nancy Swabb as Nancy's daughter Mara, 9, looks on during a news conference where doctors and staff discuss the outcome of a complex surgical procedure to treat Dominique, who was born with four legs and two spines, at Advocate Children's Hospital in Park Ridge, Illinois, U.S., March 21, 2017. REUTERS/John Gress